Posts Tagged exterior

Date: March 14th, 2010
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Ohio, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china, personal

Pony Tails Ornamental Grass (Stipa tenuissima)

Pony Tails Ornamental Grass ( Stipa tenuissima)

Stipa tenuissima known in English as “angel hair”, “Mexican feather grass”, “Mexican needle grass”, “ponytails”, or “silky thread grass”, and in French as cheveux d’ange, is a perennial native to parts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Not surprisingly, it is not hardy in Toronto.

These beautiful clumps of Mexican feather grass dancing in the breeze were growing at
Toronto Botanical Garden.

Description

Height: 18-24″
Width: 18″
Exposure: Sun
Water: Very drought tolerant
Hardiness: Zones 7-10
Pruning: Cut back to 6″ in late winter

Ponytail Grass, also known as ‘Mexican Feather Grass”, is a very attractive ornamental grass that forms fine textured clumps about 18 inches wide and an equal spread. It is very drought tolerant and must have well-drained soil.

Use Ponytail grass as accents in the garden and it is especially attractive when planted in groups. Perfect for dry slopes. Also a good container plant. Wispy, fall seed heads start out buff color then changing to golden-bronze.

Date: March 12th, 2010
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Ohio, PlantSwap, Tiny House Projects, china, personal

How to Grow Spaghetti Squash From Seed

Spaghetti squash seeds

This is an exciting time at the House-of-Chaos. We’ve been exchanging seeds via PlantSwap and Freecycle and starting those seeds in Peat Pellet Greenhouses. Each greenhouse has 36 chambers so I’m able to get three dozen seedling started. One of those seedlings are spaghetti squash, a melon squash that produces the closest thing to pasta! The sweet golden fiber is delicious when baked, served with butter and cheese, pesto, Alfredo, marinara and meatballs.

Spaghetti squash is an easy-to-grow squash that can be grown nearly anywhere. It’s a winter squash, which means that it’s not harvested until cool weather, after the skin has had a chance to become hard. Because spaghetti squash is so easy to grow, and develops so quickly, it’s an especially good beginner plant for young gardeners. Just be sure you have a sunny spot and plenty of space in your garden for the sprawling vines.

Instructions

Young Spaghetti Squash

Plant spaghetti squash seeds about three weeks after the last frost in your area, or when the soil is about 60 degrees F. Select a large, sunny spot in your garden, and prepare the soil for planting. Remove weeds, loosen the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches, and work in at least 2 inches of compost.
Hoe the loosened soil into mounds, and plant four or five spaghetti squash seeds 1 inch deep in each mound. Leave a minimum of 6 feet between each mound, and allow at least 50 to 75 square feet for each one. Keep the soil damp until the seedlings sprout, and then water deeply once a week. Spaghetti squash does better if the soil is kept fairly dry.
Keep the area free of weeds either by hand or with a hoe. If you use a hoe, work carefully so you don’t disturb the shallow roots of the spaghetti squash.
Thin the seedlings when they’re 3 to 4 inches tall. Leave the two largest spaghetti squash plants per mound, and remove the remaining seedlings by pinching them off at ground level. Don’t pull the seedlings, because doing so can dislodge the seedlings you want to keep.
Harvest spaghetti squash when the skin is hard, usually in September or October, or before the first hard frost. Cut the squash from the vines, leaving about 2 inches of stem remaining. Store the squash, not touching, in a dry place where the temperature remain between 50 and 55 degrees F.

Date: March 12th, 2010
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, funny-bone, personal

If you give a squirrel a coconut…

I saw this in an RSS feed and thought that it might be fun to get a couple of reduced coconuts from the market and drill some holes in the bottom and then some eye-bolts in the top and hang them from a tree or a feeder…I bet this would happen.

Date: February 24th, 2010
Cate: Great Grey Beast of February, House-of-Chaos, Ohio, Tiny House Projects, china, family, personal, spirit
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FairyGate: The Back-40 at the House-of-Chaos gets transformed into a fae-gate.

Faery Gate

I know I’m not supposed to do it, but I can’t stand it anymore. I completely understand that “no gates, bridges or other thoroughfares are to be built, opened or unblocked to allow the free transfer of beings from fae-to-terrin.”

Bollocks.

I’m building one. In the back-40 of the House-of-Chaos I’m building a fairy gate. It will open on the Summer Solstice of 2010. Just try and stop me.

In preparation, here is a list of plants to make the fae more welcome in the garden. Since this is the last week of February, and I’m convinced that Spring, in all her glory, is right around the corner…I better get crackin’ on the yard plans.

Try planting some of these faery favorites in your garden!

[ from: http://www.afaeryhunt.com/fairyfun.htm ]

BLUEBELLS: Faeries are summoned to their midnight revels and dances by the ringing of these tiny flowers.

FERNS: Pixie faeries are especially fond of ferns. One story tells of a young woman who accidentally sat on a fern, and instantly a faery man appeared and forced her to promise to watch over his faery son and remain in Faeryland for a year and a day. Ferns make nice soft beds for the little guys.

FOXGLOVE: The name “foxglove” came from the words “folk’s glove.” Folks referred to little people, or faeries. One legend says that faeries gave the blossoms to foxes to wear as gloves so they would not get caught raiding the chicken coop. According to another legend, if you picked foxglove, you would offend the faeries. And if the faeries stole your baby, the juice of the foxglove would help to get it back. In some stories, foxglove appears as a faery’s hat. Foxglove can sometimes heal and sometimes hurt. It is a poisonous plant, but it is also used as medicine to treat heart disease.

HEATHER: lights the flame of fairy passions and may open the gates between the fairy world and our own.

MUSHROOMS: Used by faeries as tables and stools. The species Amanita is the red and white mushrooms very poisonous….

PANSIES: These may be used in fairy love potions.

POPPIES: These will bring faeries into your dreams.

PRIMROSES: Primroses are one key into faeryland. There is a German legend about a little girl who found a doorway covered in flowers, and when she touched it with a primrose, the door opened up, leading into an enchanted faery castle.

RAGWORT, CABBAGE STALKS, GRASS and STRAW: All of these were used by faeries for transportation in the same manner as a witch uses a broom.

ROSES: The sweet smell and soft petals of roses attract faeries to your garden. A popular love spell uses roses. Sprinkle rose petals under your feet and dance on them softly while asking the Faery for a blessing on your magic

SAFFRON CROCUS: The stamens from this fall flowering crocus constitute the herb saffron. Any food prepared with saffron is a favorite faery food. Saffron used as a dye will turn cloth a royal gold. Such cloth is very valuable to faeries.

THYME: Wear a sprig of thyme to increase your ability to see the wee ones. Thyme may also be planted by the doors and windows of your house to invite the fairies to come inside.

TULIPS: The faeries like to use the tulip bloom to put their babies to bed.

Some other faery favorites are rosemary, heartsease, and forgetmenots.

Date: February 13th, 2010
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects

My Valentine’s Day present!

No…it’s not slinky or chocolate (sort of chocolate coloured!). But it’s awesome. I got an EZ Composter/Rainbarrel for Valentines Day this year! How cool is that. The Tiny House-of-Chaos has been using a 20 gallon trashcan for composting since last year when we moved in, and that has been working fine, but turning the bin manually is slightly problematic. This solves that dilemma.

7 Cubic Foot Good Ideas Recycled Plastic
EZ Composter and Rain Barrel Hybrid – Oak

* Unique composter and rain barrel combination!
* Tumbler seeps compost juice into barrel for compost tea
* Made of 100% recycled plastic
* Easy turning with recessed handles
* Wheels for easy movement
* 12-inch twist lid and breather holes
* Turn just once per week
* Create fresh compost in as little as 4 weeks
* Brass spigot on rain barrel for easy hose hookup
* Anti-bug and debris screen
* 7 cubic ft./47-gallon capacity
* 29L x 35W x 39H inches

Date: December 20th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects

HOC: Bird Feeders & Houses

I have fed the birds for a long time. At our last place, in Timber Top, our loft was surrounded by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system and we has a wonderful array of wildlife, including birds. Last year I took a 15 second video clip on my cell phone of the massive activity occurring at the 3rd story patio feeders:

So naturally we were going to continue feeding the birds at our new place. Then when Mister Bird showed up in November we wanted to get him a nice shelter before it got bitterly cold. After a trip to Wild Birds Unlimited we were outfitted nicely with seed, feeders, houses and suet. Then Mister Bird brought a friend.

Now, the houses are hung, the feeders are filled and the suet is sloshing. I hope all the birds enjoy.

Date: December 6th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, life the universe and everything, personal

HOC: Exterior Xmas Decorations

New House…some new Xmas decorations. Now, avoiding the discussion of Xmas as a commercial holiday and the competition of homeowners with their seasonal decorating displays, we wanted to put up a little bit in the way of outdoor lighting and display just to celebrate the season and get us into the mood. We also wanted to be responsible and efficient in our choices. So…a little research tuned up the following:

Benefits of LED Lights

When compared to conventional incandescent lighting, LED bulbs have numerous benefits.

Energy efficiency: LED lights are up to 90 percent more efficient than incandescent lights.

Long lasting: LED lights consist of solid-state construction, making them sturdier and more resistant to damage than conventional lights. According to the Department of Energy, the best white LEDs have been found to have a useful life of about 35,000 hours, or four years of continuous operation. Also, when one light goes out on a string, the others stay lit.

Safety: The epoxy plastic that encapsulates the LED bulbs is cool to the touch.

Read more at Suite101: Save with LED Christmas Lights: Decorate on the Cheap with Energy Efficient Holiday Lights | Suite101.com http://familyfinances.suite101.com/article.cfm/save_with_led_christmas_lights#ixzz0Yv9W8yNz

So we went to get solar, timed and LCD lighting for the house. Now remember that the Tiny House-of-Chaos is only 768 sq. feet, so there isn’t much “outdoor” for us to light. But we wanted to make informed choices and shop responsibly for the long-term. This is what we got:

50 Light LED Solar Net Lights, White

Solar LCD Lights

Product Features

23.0 ‘ LED String Lights
Comes Prelit with 50 White Solar-Powered with Rechargeable Battery Lights
Plastic 20%, Solar Panel 20%, Wire 20 %, LED Lights 40%
Features LED Technology for Vivid Colors and Whiter Whites, Up to 88% Less Energy Use than Standard Bulbs
Light Modes Include Blinking, Continuous
Up to 20x Longer Life than Standard Bulbs
Recommended for Outdoor Use
Wipe Clean with Dry Cloth

Power Center T28011

Westinghouse Holiday Outdoor Digital Power Center with Built-in Dual Timers

All Weather 6 Outlet Safety Power Station. Switch for Digital Timer or Photo Cell Timer control

Features
*Power On/Off Switch
*Built-in circuit breaker
*Rain tight housing
*GFCI protection w/ test and reset button
*Auto turn off power when GFCI detect water penetration

SOLAR NET LIGHTS

Solar Net Lights

Product Features

Creates a dazzling display without wires
Easy to set up and maintain
Charge by day lasts up to 8 hours
50 bulbs per net, stretches to 45 x 36″
Requires 1 AAA battery (not included)

Date: December 2nd, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, life the universe and everything, personal, spirit
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Mr. Bird in his Tiny-Perch-of-Doom

Originally uploaded by chinagrrrl

This is Meester Bird. He’s been hanging around for a few weeks now. We get home after dark (which happens around 4:15 p.m. right now) and when we come through the breezeway, occasionally we hear the flapping of wings.

I knew it wasn’t Death coming for me. I knew it was just a bird. Yeah, right! That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

But yesterday I collected evidence of this bird.

Date: November 24th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, spirit

HOC: Garden – Hibiscus

I purchased two red hibiscus plants at the end of the summer for the front patio of the Tiny House-of-Chaos. They were about $10 bucks a plant and I wasn’t sure if I would get much in the way of foliage from them, but they have produced literally hundreds of flowers that I’ve enjoyed. more))

Date: November 24th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, spirit

HOC: Garden – Gardenia

I love gardenia’s! I love the smell. I love that they are “finickey” plants that need a lot of specific needs. I think that’s awesome. I’ve killed previous gardenias (Harry gardenia, may you rest-in-peace) but I was able to tend to some of my family’s flowers while they wintered in Florida and received one for Mother’s day this year.

I learned they like to:

drink coffee
receive regular misting with distilled water
and have an evening or two a week by a humidifier.

In return they gave me a steady stream of these:

Gardenia

Wasn’t that sweet?

Date: November 24th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects, life the universe and everything, news, personal

HOC: New Roof for the Tiny House-of-Chaos

Ugh! I had to get a new roof on the House-of-Chaos before the mean Ohio winter snows started flying. I didn’t want to. I had much better plans for those $4500 dollars. Really, I did! But the one thing I couldn’t abide was the though of me being all nestled into my warm bed on a cold February night when it was a blizzard outside and hearing a creak and a crack that wakes me up only moments before the roof caves in and three feet of wet, gray and icy snow descends upon me.

That was enough of a nightmare for me to shell out the cash.

Here is what the exterior of house looked like back in April, when we made the offer:

On October 19th the roofers started and it looked like this:

and then they laid the felt/ice guard down:

This is a slightly better view of the roof felt as the breezeway butts up against the garage:

New Roof for the House-of-Chaos

They worked on it Monday through Thursday and now it looks like this:

The new roof for the Tiny House-of-Chaos

They replaced much of the underlay of the roof, where it was leaking between the kitchen and dining room, they laid two new layers of 25-year, dimensional shingles and completely repaired the flashing on my chimney.

Nice job!

For the entire gallery of the roofing project check this out!

Date: November 24th, 2009
Cate: House-of-Chaos, Tiny House Projects
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HOC: Breezeway – Front Storm Door

After replacing the back storm door first, I felt confident enough to tackle replacing the front storm door all by myself. I decided that white would be a better color for the front. So I didn’t have to special order this door.

I selected the same model door I did for the back storm door; the Larson Tradewinds I picked it up from Lowe’s and brought it home, ready to hang. I set up some sawhorses in the breezeway and went to town:

Just for reference, this is what I was working with: